And so there are four. Four teams, one goal and two games to get there. For me, it’s the weekend where I decide if I will ever love football again. Like most of America, I hate the Patriots with a passion, believing that they are the epitome of all evil and not understanding why karma would allow them another Super Bowl. But, sports are not life, and if they make it again, I will take my licks but never ever ever care again. My husband says I have a flair for the dramatic, but I don’t really think so…

There are so many storylines going into this week’s games. First, I should just tell you what you need to know about these games, on the field –

Just when you thought football couldn’t get more thrilling, Saturday, Sunday and Monday just happened. Between the wild, wild wild card playoffs and the College Football Championship game on Monday, games were almost too exciting to handle.

And as we enter the divisional playoffs, let’s make an entrance like Lane M-F’in Kiffin on his way to win a national championship with Alabama…

But if your team got bounced out of the playoffs, or even out of your city (sorry Rams and Chargers), there are still many reasons to celebrate. Fans have been bandwagoning for years, and although everyone loves a winner, there are even more reasons to fall in love with your favorite playoff team.

The ultimate Bandwagon jersey!

A month from now, we’ll have a new Super Bowl champ. Here’s a list, in order, of the teams you want to be rooting for over the next four weeks.

It’s the New Year, and it’s also the NFL playoffs. Coincidence? Of course not. It’s the time to reinvent, to look toward the future with a clean slate.

First and foremost, it’s time for Bandwagoners to jump right on! Your team bumped out of the horse race? It’s ok, Jets fans. I root for the Colts, so I feel your pain. Next week I’ll be taking an in depth look at the best teams to bandwagon with. But for now, of course, we need to think up some New Year’s Resolutions that will assure a compelling playoff race for some, and a fresh 2016 for others.

New York Jets – Resolution: A Do Over

Oh, crap. They missed the playoffs. Rex Ryan’s Bills knocked em out. In a script straight out of central casting, the game had ups and downs, missed extra points, errant helmet throws and finally, an interception that sealed the deal. While the Steelers rejoiced in their wild card berth, the Jets headed back to NY and the Bills noshed on cheese steaks.

The holidays are almost over, but we can always look to the NFL as the gift that keeps on giving. Just lately, we saw the complete meltdown of one of the league’s stars (hint: it’s not Dez Bryant), the coining of a new catch phrase, and a potential changing of the guard in a few different divisions.

There have also been the makings of a holiday celebration that would make Dickens proud – adorable children, terrible bosses, and the ghosts of playoffs past.

Let’s unwrap all of the holiday gifts from our NFL Santa and see what kind of crazy is stuffed into our stocking.

OBJ goes CRAY

I’m a giant fan of Odell Beckham Junior, so it was sad to see him with the Panthers’ Josh Norman last week, acting like a little child in a series of scuffles that were an embarrassment to both teams. OBJ has since been suspended for one game, but others on the Giants have come out saying that Norman was threatening various Giants team members and potentially making homophobic slurs. Wait, OBJ’s gay? Or was it just a bash on the good hair? In any case, you haven’t seen the end of this feud; it will surely be playing out on Twitter but not in the playoffs since the Giants couldn’t even win the hapless NFC East.

It’s the holiday season, and you know what that means. We celebrate the 12 weeks of football with 12 gifts from yours truly, giving props to all that is good in football so far this season. So grab your egg nog and take that extra time you’re not using setting your fantasy lineup because you didn’t make the playoffs (not bitter) and read on!

12 Drummers Drumming

Ay yi yi, looks like the 12s are back beating the bandwagon drum in Seattle. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know you faithful have backed the Hawks the entire painful first half of the season. But now that they’re looking good in the stretch, and a wild card berth is looking likely, the Pacific Northwest is jumping back on, Sherman is running his mouth and Russell Wilson is probably guzzling more of that miracle water.

11 Kicks Returning

Or #11 returning kicks. DeSean Jackson tried too hard to make something happen late in the game against the Cowboys Sunday and fumbled the kick return, opening the door for a last minute scoring frenzy by both teams that left the Cowboys on top. When you wear your hear like this, you need to be perfect on the field, or you will be mocked.

We are only days away from the greatest day of the year. Who needs the Syrians when we can celebrate the original refugees who came to town with a sneaky plan to wipe out everyone and everything around them?

Tonight, as I sit in the depths of crankiness, tangled in a Twitter war with an insufferable Patriots fan (yes, I was just told ByeFelicia in a hashtag!!), I can still manage to crack a smile about all of the goodness to come on Thursday.

If you’re not planning a full day of eating and getting your football on, you need to rethink your priorities in life. It’s time to snuggle up to your Aunt Pat as she tells you about the war on Christmas, and Gramps when he explains how Trump sure has a plan for building a great big wall to keep the Muslims out. You have your own great big wall, and it’s called football, drinks and food.

As we head into Thanksgiving week, it’s all about gratitude. I’ve always had a positive outlook on life, but it may not always be apparent on Sundays when I am screaming at my run defense to just put up one lousy block, or on Tuesdays when I watch another one of my fantasy players lost to injury (come back, Matt Forte!?). But overall, I try to enjoy each day, and do the things I love, like writing this blog for all of you.

And with all that joy swirling around, I thought it was high time to look at some of the little things in football that bring us happiness.

Ten things to be thankful for this football season –

Gingers

Although Andy Dalton is the NFL’s most epic redhead at the moment, and no one can match his orange on orange gameday ensemble, we also enjoy ogling gingers like coach Jason Garrett on a weekly basis. Also, Carson Palmer claims to be a redhead, but the funny thing is he’s much more of a brunette since he left the Bengals. Coincidence? No matter the case, it sure is fun to see those unique guys with zippy heads of red roaming the field each and every Sunday.

Your Kidney

I never thought about my kidney much, save for the occasional “what’s the definition of binge drinking again?” scare. Until recently. This month, both Keenan Allen and Andrew Luck were sidelined with lacerated kidneys, an injury that causes your kidney to leak blood. Usually caused by car crashes or physical attacks, it’s now becoming more common in football. So be kind to your kidney this weekend.

There have been so many happy endings in the NFL this season, it’s like a stint in a Thai massage parlor. On the other hand, disappointment has smacked many of our favorite teams in the face like Ray Rice in an elevator as they’ve lost stunningly at the last minute. Is it just me, or does it seem like there are more close games than ever in the NFL this year?

We turned to our old friend statistics to see if the thrill of victory or agony of defeat is more intense this year, and here’s what we found –

In the last 20 years, a full 46% of all games were decided by seven points or less.

And 24% by three points or less!

And, as of two years ago, 75% of all games were one score games in the fourth quarter.

So hang on to your helmets, fans. This year is no outlier. Just this week, fierce comebacks by the Broncos and Packers came up short, showing us that you never turn off the TV!

Veteran’s Day Salute

Like everyone this week, we’re all about giving the military props, and that includes the one active NFL player who is a military veteran.

Alejandro Villanueva plays for the Steelers. Born to a Spanish naval officer, Villanueva played football at Army before serving three tours of duty in Afghanistan as an Army Ranger. Signed to the Eagles last year and cut, he was picked up by the Steelers and is currently the starting left tackle. Measuring 6’9”, he’s just the type you’d want next to you in a battle behind enemy line. And while being a hero on the football field can seem so trivial compared to the real heroes serving the country, we’re glad he’s able to live out his dreams as an NFL starter. Thanks for your service Alejandro!